For those planning events this summer, now is the time to start work in earnest. In recent years, there has been a huge rise in the number of events taking place in London during the summer months with festivals, markets, concerts, cinemas, fetes, roof-top bars and garden parties springing up all over the capital.   

If you are planning to sell alcohol at your event, then you will need to have a licence in place. The type of licence you’ll need, will depend in large part on where the event is taking place and the number of guests you are hoping will attend.   Supplying alcohol without the benefit of a licence is a criminal offence punishable by an unlimited fine, so this is something that you will want to get right!  Although your event might be some weeks away, time might already be running out for you to get your licence arranged.  Some of the applications you will need to make can take longer than you think, and licensing law is awash with technicalities which if you get wrong, can add further delay or scupper your plans entirely. 

If you are lucky, the place you are hoping to hold your event at might already be licensed. Licensed premises are not limited to bars, pubs or clubs but can be anywhere which has the benefit of a Premises Licence granted by the local authority.  Community centres, sporting clubs, venues for hire, colleges, even places of worship often have a Premises Licence and these licences can sometimes cover fields, adjoining land or other outdoor areas where your summer event might take place.

You should check with the owner or local authority to see if there is a licence already in place and you should check with the licence holder that they are happy for you to operate under the terms of their licence.  Equally importantly, you should check that the licence actually covers the types of activity you are hoping to undertake.  Typically, Licences permit specified types of licensable activity which can include the supply of alcohol but only within certain time parameters.  They often contain other restrictions and conditions that must be complied with.  If you are unclear whether your event is covered by an existing licence, then contact the local authority or seek expert advice.

What if there is a licence in place, but it doesn’t cover the activities you are hoping to carry out?

It is possible to vary the terms of a licence, either permanently or on a one-off basis.  This would be a matter for the Premises Licence holder to arrange rather than you, but unless the variation is a very minor one, the minimum amount of time required to vary a licence is 28 days and you should allow a few weeks either side of that to prepare the application and deal with any issues that might arise.  Applications to vary are made on-line via the local authority website.  A fee, determined by the rateable value of the property, is payable and the application needs to be advertised in a local newspaper and by a notice displayed at the premises.

What if there is no licence at the venue?

There are really only two available options for you, and which route you go down depends on the number of people you are expecting to attend the event. The test is how many people will be in attendance at any one time.  If the number is less than 500, then a Temporary Event Notice is what you want you want.  If the number is 500 or more, then you will need a full Premises Licence.

Temporary Event Notices

Applying for a Temporary Event notice (or TEN) is a relatively swift, straightforward and inexpensive process although there are strict rules on the amount of notice that has to be given. A standard TEN must be received by the local authority at least 10 working days before the event (excluding the day the notice is received and the first day of the event).  If there are less than 10 working days before the event, all is not lost as you can apply for what is known as a ‘Late TEN’ up to 5 clear working days before the event.  Again, clear working days do not include the day the application is received and the first day of the event.  There are limits on the number of events than can be given each calendar year and this limit varies depending on whether you have a personal licence or not.  There are also limits on the number of events than can be held at any single premises. The Police and Environmental Health Departments can object to TENs which can lead to their refusal so, leaving them until the last minute is rarely a good idea.

Premises Licence

If your event is going to attract 500 people or more then you will need to apply for a Premises Licence.  Depending on the nature of the event and where it is to take place, this can be a significant undertaking.  Applications are made on-line via the local authority’s website.  A fee, determined by the rateable value of the property, is payable and the application needs to be advertised in a local newspaper and by a notice displayed at the premises. You will need to provide a scale plan of the premises.  All applications are subject to a 28-day consultation period, and you should allow for a few weeks either side of this period to prepare your application, and deal with any representations that it might attract.

In order to be able to supply alcohol under a Premises Licence, it is worth nothing that you will need to nominate someone with a personal licence to be the Designated Premises Supervisor.

So, in conclusion there are quite a few options available to you if you want to supply alcohol at your event. The key is working out which is the right one for you and planning well in advance to give sufficient time for the application to be granted.  Local authority websites tend to have a good amount of useful information and you should always check with them or seek professional advice if you are uncertain on any of the technicalities.